Paper-file



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1,.

E. E. WEBSTER.

PAPER FILE.

No. 373,504. Patented Nov. 22, 1887.

I 8 Oz & I 0 K 51/2 in 6 see In 2/872 502':

fizorw (No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 2.

E. E. WEBSTER.

PAPER. FILE.

No. 373,504. Patented Nov. 22, 1887.

n. PETERS. Fhclohlhgnphqr. Washinglcn. u. c.

.Nr'rED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ED\VARD E. \VEBSTER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

PAPER-FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,504. dated November 22, 1887.

Application filed March 30, 1887.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. WEBsTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper-Files, of which the following is a specification.

My improvements relate to file-cases having drawers for holding papers.

' The object of theinvention is the production of a case with drawers having falling fronts and arranged in compact form to afford a large number of separate files within a comparatively small space, and designed, primarily, for keeping blanks; and the invention consists, gen erally, in a case adapted to receive drawers arranged in close order, and in the construction of the drawers, which are preferably made of sheet metal, having partially-covered tops and open fronts with hinged facing-pieces which close thedrawer-openings when the drawers are closed and swing beneath when they are pulled partly out,and in details of constructi0n,whicl1 will be hereinafter fully explained.

The improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front of the case, showing one of the drawers partially drawn out. Fig. 2 is a detail view of one of the drawers. Fig. 3 is a detail of the hinged front of one of the drawers. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the same on the line a: w of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the front portion of the case, showing a drawer in place; and Figs. 6 and 7 show modifications of the mode of hinging the fronts of the drawers.

In the several views, A designates a case of any suitable f0rm,havinga single compartment (as that illustrated in Fig. l) or two or more compartments, as desired. At the front of the compartment, which is otherwise open, are cross-pieces a, secured to the case-sides, and at the sides within are secured guide-strips a,

. placed flush with the upper surfaces of the cross-pieces and extending horizontally there from to the rear of the case, forming ways for gnidingand sustaining the drawers. Thesides 0f the compartment are chamfered from the front to a short distance within, as shown at a, to admit the hinges of the drawer-fronts.

Serial No. 232,935.

(No model.)

number of shallow drawers may be placed in a comparatively low case.

B B are the drawers, which are preferably made of tin or other thin sheet metal, in order that they may have the largest holding capacity practicable for the space they occupy. Their tops are only partially covered by the covers a, and may be formed by bending over the metal of the sides, and the rear ends are partially but sufficiently inclosedby the downwardly-inclined ends 0 of the covers, secured by solder or otherwise to the bottoms a of the drawers. The rearward inclination of the drawer-ends serves to hold the ends of the papers in sloping position, so that the upper paper at the front will extend slightly beyond the lower ones, and thus be in position to be more easily taken hold of to pull it out. The drawers are pushed in or pulled out by means of the fronts or facing-strips d, which close the drawer-openings when the drawers are inserted. The fronts d are secured to the hangers e, pivoted to the sides of the drawers near their front ends, and when the drawers are partly withdrawn the fronts (2 swing down, as shown in the drawings, giving free access to the blanks in the drawers. The pivots e for the hangers e may be soldered on the outside of the drawer-sides, so as to offer no obstruction to the sliding of the papers within. The hangers 6 may be sprung over their-pivots, so that they can be readily detached, when desired, by pressing them apart. In the face of the pieces 01 are undercut groovesf, into which labels 9 can be inserted from the ends and withdrawn and changed to indicate the contents of the drawers.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modified form of hinge for the front d, in which two bent wires are used. The wires have straight portions h, the ends of which are attached to the under edge of the piece (Z, and other portions, h, bent at right angles to the former and entered into sockets provided on the bottom of the drawer; and in Fig. 7 is shown another form of hinge, i, for the front d, in which one leaf of an ordinary hinge is fastened to the under side of the drawer and the other leaf fastened to the side of the front (2. A cap, 0 is shown attached to the piece d,for inclosing the space between the piece 61 and the end of the drawer. In using either of the latter forms of hinges it is necessary to cut away a portion of the cross-piece a, rendering these forms less desirable than that first described, because of their necessitating a larger case for the same drawer capacity.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In a file-case having suitable openings and ways for drawers, open-front drawers therein, constructed of sheet metal forming the bot toms and suitably bent to form the sides and inner ends, and swinging front pieces having hangers hinged to the drawers, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination, a case having suitable guides for drawers, and drawers therein hav ing partly'covered tops and open fronts, and

provided with swinging front pieces, substantially as set forth.

- 3. A file-case drawer having a sloping rear end and open front and a swinging front piece.

' 4. .A sheet-metal file-case drawer having a partially-covered top, a sloping rear-end inclosure, and an open front, combined with a swinging front piece, substantially as set forth.

, 5.. An open-front file case drawerconstructed of sheet metal suitably bent to form the sides and cover and rear end, in combination with aswinging front piece pivoted to the drawer, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a case having drawer ways widened at the front, of drawers having open fronts and constructed of sheet metal suitably bent'to form the sides, rear ends,and partial covers, swinging front pieces,

and hangers therefor pivoted to the sides of the drawers, substantially as set forth.

EDWARD E. WEBSTER.

Witnesses:

P. H. GUNOKEL, J. L. DoBBiN. 

